Tuesday, October 30, 2007
LEADRESHIP IS NOT INFLUENCE
For the few years that I have been in this leadership business, I have come across many different definitions of leadership (don’t let me bore you with them) but the most common one says - leadership is influence, the ability to influence people - This definition on its own, does not really capture the essence of leadership, because I can influence you to do anything if I have the means of controlling you, for instance if I have a gun or I pay your salary or am your father or your elder siblings I may be able to control your actions and make you dance to my every tune.
When I talk about great and REAL leaders, I am not talking about leaders with formal authority (position) but those with moral authority. Because the difference between leadership as a result of formal authority or position and leadership earned through moral authority, which is an offshoot of a life of service is as far apart as the four corners of the world.
So to say leadership is the ability to influence is inadequate in describing or defining leadership. From my observations and personal research I have come to realize that leadership is about people and not about the person in authority. So I decided to look from the perspective of the follower.
What True Leadership Is All About.
Leadership is all about the willingness of the people to follow you towards accomplishing a worthwhile goal. Real leadership is a force that has little or nothing to do with position, no; it is earned through a life of impact, which in turn endears you to your follower. They practically follow your every lead not because they have to or are compelled to (which is the case with formal authority) but because they want to, because they do not only believe in you, they love you.
In other words you must be able to elicit willingness from the people you say you are leading and this you cannot achieve without inspiring them; so I say leadership is 100% willingness by the follower through 100% inspiration from you the leader, this inspiration must be built on sacrifice and selflessness on your own part.
Real leadership is not about position (formal authority) the most influential man in the world today is Nelson Mandela and he doesn’t have a position yet very respected worldwide. Even Mahatma Ghandi lead is country peacefully to independence without formal authority.
Real leadership is not about wealth, how much was mother Theresa worth before she died, can you please tell me the car Martin Luther king jnr drove in his life time, pls explain to me, how big is Nelson Mandela’s house.
Real leadership, don’t forget is your willingness to serve selflessly, which will in turn guarantee the willingness of followers to follow, through your inspiration.
When I talk about great and REAL leaders, I am not talking about leaders with formal authority (position) but those with moral authority. Because the difference between leadership as a result of formal authority or position and leadership earned through moral authority, which is an offshoot of a life of service is as far apart as the four corners of the world.
So to say leadership is the ability to influence is inadequate in describing or defining leadership. From my observations and personal research I have come to realize that leadership is about people and not about the person in authority. So I decided to look from the perspective of the follower.
What True Leadership Is All About.
Leadership is all about the willingness of the people to follow you towards accomplishing a worthwhile goal. Real leadership is a force that has little or nothing to do with position, no; it is earned through a life of impact, which in turn endears you to your follower. They practically follow your every lead not because they have to or are compelled to (which is the case with formal authority) but because they want to, because they do not only believe in you, they love you.
In other words you must be able to elicit willingness from the people you say you are leading and this you cannot achieve without inspiring them; so I say leadership is 100% willingness by the follower through 100% inspiration from you the leader, this inspiration must be built on sacrifice and selflessness on your own part.
Real leadership is not about position (formal authority) the most influential man in the world today is Nelson Mandela and he doesn’t have a position yet very respected worldwide. Even Mahatma Ghandi lead is country peacefully to independence without formal authority.
Real leadership is not about wealth, how much was mother Theresa worth before she died, can you please tell me the car Martin Luther king jnr drove in his life time, pls explain to me, how big is Nelson Mandela’s house.
Real leadership, don’t forget is your willingness to serve selflessly, which will in turn guarantee the willingness of followers to follow, through your inspiration.
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